FR petitions against MR’s premiership considered in Feb

The Supreme Court has decided to consider the two Fundamental Rights (FR) petitions, which were filed against the removal of Ranil Wickremesinghe from the premiership and appointing Mahinda Rajapaksa to the position, on February 07.

The relevant petitions were lodged by Ven. Dambara Amila Thero and a former Deputy Director of the President’s Media Division Oshala Herath.

When the petitions were taken up before Supreme Court Justices Prasanna Jayawardena and L.T.B. Dehideniya, the petitioners sought the judge bench to issue dates for considering their petitions.

Accordingly, the two-judge bench ordered to consider the petitions on 7th February.

The judge bench also ordered the issuance of notices to the respondents of the petitions.

The petitioners state that removing Ranil Wickremesinghe from the premiership and appointing Mahinda Rajapaksa to the position on October 26 is contrary to the provisions of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution.

Accordingly, they have sought a Supreme Court verdict stating that this action taken by President Maithripala Sirisena is a violation of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution.